Finish the Task

At the 1968 Olympics Bob Beamon set a long jump record that many thought would never be broken but eventually it was. A young boxer named George foremen won a gold medal and paraded around the ring with an American flag, instilling pride in many Americans. One athlete named John Stephen Akhwari from Tanzania, a marathon runner, probably made the longest lasting impression on people though. While he was running he stumbled and fell, severely injuring his knee and ankle. After receiving first aid he did what no one expected and he got back in the race. Long after everyone else had finished and left, he limped into the near empty stadium to the cheers of a small crowd that was still there and he finished his final lap. When asked why he continued the race after he was so badly hurt with no chance to win he replied: "My country did not send me 7,000 miles to begin a race - they sent me to finish the race".

Do each of you accept responsibility to finish a task when you start one or do you take the easy way out when the going gets tough? Do you keep your promises when you make them, even the ones you make to yourself? A man who doesn't keep his word will not be respected and will not be trusted. What kind of man does each of you want to be remembered as?

Goodnight Gentleman!

Finding Your Way(Show A Scout Badge)

Scouts, where did the design for the Scout badge come from? Did you know that it's from the north point of the mariners' compass? Now why did Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, select that symbol for the first Scout badge? In his book, Scouting for Boys, Baden- Powell told us.

He said, "It is the badge of the Scout because it points in the right direction, and upwards. It shows the way in doing your duty and helping others. "

In other words, just as the north point of the compass helps us find our way in the field, so the Scout badge helps us find our way through life.

So the shape of our Scout badge should be a constant reminder to us of the things we pledge when we say the Scout Oath or Law. Let's think about that badge and what it means the next time we're tempted to do something we know is wrong.